Cats have a unique place in the realms of the supernatural. Our feline friends have been revered and worshipped in cultures past. They have also been the subject of many superstitions. So why do cats have such a connection with the supernatural? Read on to learn more.
Cats in ancient mythology
Cats perhaps had their highest level of esteem in ancient Egypt, where they were worshipped. The goddess Bastet was often depicted in cat form and sometimes took on the war-like aspect of a lioness. In fact, cats were so important that killing a cat, according to the Greek historian Herodotus, was forbidden. He also reported that when a household cat died, the entire family mourned and shaved their eyebrows, marking the death much like that of a family member. It was not uncommon for cats to be embalmed and buried in sacred repositories in the sacred city of Bubastis.
Artemis, the Greek equivalent of the Egyptian goddess Bastet shared her association with cats, and the Goddess Diana took on the form of a cat in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, when the deities fled to Egypt.
During the Age of Discovery, ships’ cats were carried on sailing ships – mainly to control shipboard rodents, but also as good-luck charms.
Cats as a spiritual being
Cats have long been believed to be exalted souls, companions or guides for humans. Because they lack the ability to speak, they are considered all-knowing but mute, meaning they cannot influence decisions made by humans.
It has long been recognised that cats’ senses are far more acute and heightened than humans, and also other animals – they have been seen to display strong paranormal abilities, a sixth sense that is unexplainable by humans through science.
There is also a widespread belief that cats can perceive energy fields and auras which most humans cannot access. They are said to have the ability not only to see the aura of those living, but also those who have passed over to the next realm.
It is generally agreed that because of their incredibly wide spectrum of sight and hearing, cats are able to tune into sights and sounds in the realm of the paranormal that humans simply can’t reach.
Cats and witchcraft
In European cultures, cats have often been thought of as both a guardian of life and a symbol of death and are often associated with witchcraft. In Transylvania, Romania and Hungary, people believed a cat would be able to turn a dead body into a vampire. In European folklore, cats were considered to be witches’ familiars – supernatural entities that were believed to assist witches in their practice of magic. The myth that cats have nine lives (mainly due to their ability to land on their feet) only helped to strengthen such superstitions. In some countries, cats were killed in order to try to kill the evil spirits they were believed to embody. The age-old superstition of black cats representing bad luck is also tied into these ancient associations with evil spirits.
Cats in BONDS
In BONDS, true to mythology, Becca and her family have always been close to cats. In chapter one, we meet Becca’s huge grey cat Spook, who is aware of Antony’s presence before Becca herself is and begins to react to the transformations Becca has begun to experience since acquiring mysterious bite marks on her neck. The witch Anna, from whom Becca is descended, also had a cat which we meet briefly in the early chapters.
Meet Texas and Jasmine
Those who know me already will know that I have two cats of my own, Texas (tabby) and Jasmine (white), who have been with me throughout the BONDS Journey. I couldn’t possibly write this post without sharing some pictures for you to enjoy.
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’Til next time.
